Sectional cast-iron culvert



Oct. 8, 1929.- w. s. HOTCHKISS 1,730,612

' I SECTIONAL CAST IRON GULVERT Filed Apfil 18, 1925 Patented Oct. 8,1929 UNITED STATES WILLIAM s. I-IOTCHKISS, OFANNISTON, AtAB'A'MASECTIONAL CAST-IRON CULVERT Application filed April 18,1925,- Serial No.24,298.-

My invention relates to a sectional cast iron culvert pipe and has forits object to design a pipe which will have the maximum strength for itsweight per unit of length, and which shall have novel and improved meansboth for reinforcing pipe and for interlocking the sections thereof, tothe end that the pipe can be laid with facility and, after being laid,can be readily removed for repair or replacement. 7

My invention contemplates the casting of the pipe with a smooth bore andreinforcing it with longitudinal and transverse external ribs, thetransverse ribs having their depth 15 increased over the center of thepipe and this center or arched section of the pipe being thickened toprovide a cantilever brace which will give it the maximum strength forits weight.

My invention further contemplates interlocking the sections by theprovision of male and female elements which overlap and which areadapted to interlock only at the side adjacent to the horizontal sidejoints in the 2 assembled pipe. This will provide short interlockingtaper lugs which will not tend to break and which will, as stated,provide greater freedom for joint flexing. By causing the lugs to taperboth radially and axially of the pipe an interlock will be providedwhich will hold the pipe lengths positively assembled against alongitudinal displacement, and which, due to the fact that theengagement of the interlocking elements does not extend to the top andbottom portions of the pipe joint, will permit these joints to flex andfollow the settling of the ground as far as is now possible for plainjoint pipes. I thus provide for the maximum standard flexibility in avertical plane, and at the same time I interlock the lengths positivelyagainst separation.

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction andarrangements of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only areillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an assembled andinterlocked section of pipe.

Figures 2 and-3 represent fragmental perspective views of the bell andspigot ends of a half pipe section showing the interlocking elements. 7

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout. thedrawings.

My improved type of culvert pipe is cast in longitudinal half sectionswhich are duplicates, each section comprising a bodyportion 1 havinglongitudinal side flangesQ which eX-' tend to and'join end transverseflanges? ex tending over the exterior convex surface of the pipe andserving to reinforce the same. The end flanges at one end stop at thespigot twhic h at each side adjacent in spacedrela tio'nto the flange 2is provided withan inte'rlocking lug 5 which tapers from its end-lyingin the plane of the flanges 2 towards and merges into the cylindricalface of the spigot 41., the taper being symmetrical and both radiallyand axially of the pipe. At the other end the flanges 2 join the hell 6which is left plain in the center 7 of its concave inner surface, andwhich at its ends is gradually and deeply grooved to form the recesses8' which are complementary to the lugs 5 and are adaptedv to receive andinterlock with them. The side flangesQ of each half section areconnected by a series of intermediate transversereinforcing ribs 9, andthe end flange 3 and the bell 6 are connected by-longitudinalreinforcing ribs 10, which intersect the ribs 9 and give the pipe inplan view a grid appearance; c

It will be observed from Figure' 4 that the interior of the pipe followsthe true are of a circle, but between the side ribs 10 the pipe isthickened, as indicated, at 11, to afford a reinforcement that willgreatly increase the strength of the pipe without materially increasingits weight. It will also be observed, by reference to this view, thatthe ribs 3 and 9, where they pass over the thickened portion 11,maintain their thickness, thus preserving the strength of thereinforcement.

The longitudinal meeting faces of the side flange 2 are provided on oneside with a raised tongue 12, and on the opposite side with acomplementary groove 13, and on their center faces the flanges carry, ifdesired, taper lugs 14 which are adapted to receive clamps 15 which,when driven in place, will positively interlock the assembled upper andlower half sections.

The pipe is assembled by laying lower half sections with the bell andspigot ends interlocked, and then superimposing upper half sections andinterlocking their ends and then, if desired, connecting the upper andlower sections by the clamps .15. The interior of the assembled pipegives a smooth uninterrupted bore and the longitudinal sections of bothupper and lower halves of the pipe are positively interlocked by thelugs 5 and grooves or sockets 8. The bell and hub ends, being left plainexcept at the sides, will have the same amount of freedom as theordinary bell and spigot joints to flex in a vertical plane and yet they'will be interlocked as positively against endwise displacement as itthe lugs 5 extended about the entire circumfere cc of the joint. Theadvantages of this interlock are obviously available for integral, aswell as sectional lengths of pipe.

Though I have described with great particularity the details of theembodiment and practice of the invention herein shown, it is not to beconstrued that I am limited thereto, as changes in arrangement andsubstitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the invention as defined in the appended claim.

'What I claim is 2 A cast iron pipe formed in semicylindrical lengths,the lengths comprising bell and spigot joint elements, the bell elementof a joint having two diametrically opposite tapering recesses beginningat the side edges of the lengths, the sides of the recesses being spacedapart their greatest distance at the side edges of the lengths, saidrecesses merging into the standard inner circumference of the bell, andthe spigot element 01 a joint having similarly disposed oppositetapering side lugs, said recesses and said lugs subtending each an aresubstantially less than degrees, said lugs, at their centers, beingadapted to fit the center of the spigot recesses to interlock the jointmembers.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

WVILLIAM S. HOTCHKISS.

